Risk factors that increase drug allergy, while new drugs are being developed for the treatment of diseases, allergic reactions occur in our body against these drugs. Drug allergies are not actually a very common allergic disease, but it has become more common with new drugs every day. There are some factors that increase the risk of developing drug allergy. We will tell you about these factors in this article.
Factors that increase the risk of developing a drug allergy include age, gender, genetic characteristics, certain viral infections, and drug-related chemical characteristics.
Drug allergy is typically more common in young and middle-aged adults, but is not uncommon in children. It is more common in women than men.
Viral infections such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) are known to increase the risk.
Genetic structure of people is also one of the reasons that increase the risk of drug allergy. The risk is higher in those with a family history of drug allergies. Immune mechanisms against drugs are important in drug reaction development. In addition, our metabolism, which is necessary for the elimination of drugs in our body, is directly related to our genetic structure.
Risk Factors Increasing Drug Allergy
In addition, topical, intramuscular and intravenous administration of drugs is more likely to cause allergic drug reactions than oral administration. Intravenous administration may cause more severe reactions. Prolonged high doses or frequent doses have a greater risk of causing hypersensitivity reactions than a single dose. Also, drugs with large macromolecular structures, such as penicillin, and drugs that are haptens (bind to tissue or blood proteins and elicit an immune response) are more likely to cause allergic reactions.
Although the risk of drug allergy is not high in patients with atopic allergic structure, the risk of serious allergic reactions increases.
Medicines are absolutely necessary in the treatment of diseases, but while they are beneficial when given appropriately, they can cause serious problems if they are not given unnecessarily or correctly. When applying drug treatments, people should definitely tell their doctor about any allergic reactions they have experienced before. As we know, in drug allergies, if an allergy occurs with a drug, the next reaction leads to more serious pictures. Risk factors for drug allergy should be considered and treatment should be planned accordingly.
